About

Court Square

2015 Summer Reading Program

Join the action this summer and have a blast at the Summer Reading Program at Queens Library. This summer celebrate real-life and fictional heroes, cool books, popular fantasy and graphic novels to the latest in your favorite series.

Thank Your Elected Officials With #YouInvested!

Mayor de Blasio, Speaker Mark-Viverito, Finance Chair Ferreras, Majority Leader Van Bramer, outgoing Libraries Subcommittee Chair Constantinides, incoming Libraries Subcommittee Chair King and the New York City Council have made an historic investment in our city’s libraries.

Rockaways Summer of Health

Rockaways Summer of Health is a series of programs and events designed to educate and get the Rockaways fit and healthy. Participate in a variety of classes and workshops for a healthy lifestyle such as stress reduction, nutrition and exercise classes.

Alicia Olatuja, Soul and R&B Concert

Alicia Olatuja sings with a strong, lustrous tone, and mixes elements of classical, jazz, gospel, and pop into her fluid vocalism. She has played alongside giants like Chaka Khan, Christian McBride, and Bebe Winans.

Submit Your eBook to Library Journal's eBook Awards Contest

The Library Journal will honor the best self-published ebooks in the following genres: Romance, Mystery, Science Fiction, Fantasy. There will be a winner in each genre and each winner will receive $1,000.00 USD from Library Journal.

History

Long Island City is the largest community in Queens in both area and population. It consists of five neighborhoods: Astoria, north of Broadway; Hunter’s Point, south of Broadway to Newton Creek; Ravenswood, along the waterfront; Steinway on either side of Steinway Street, and Dutch Kills.

Hunter’s Point contains the railroad yards and most of the factories, light-industry plants, and fifty-story Citicorp tower. It was the principal western terminus of the Long Island Rail Road and the seat of an extensive freight business. Some of the most extensive oil refineries in the country were located in this portion of Long Island City, as well as also shipyards capable of building vessels of any size.

In 1895, Long Island City Businessman William Nelson accepted 7, 000 books as a payment for a debt. He offered the books to anyone who wanted to establish a library. Philanthropist Dr. Walter Frey and businessman George Clay took him up on this offer. The three presented their idea to Long Island City Mayor Horatio Sanford, who assigned $3000 to finance the library for one year. Jessie Hume served as the first librarian.

Almost one hundred years later, in October 1989, the Court Square Branch of the Queens Library system opened its doors to the public. Built by Citicorp as part of a 50 story office tower in Long Island City, the Court Square Branch was leased to the Queens Public Library for 30 years at $1 a year. The new branch got its name from the nearby historic landmark. The branch itself is approximately 2500sq.feet. It is unique for Queens Public Libraries in that it is the first time a branch library has been created in concert with a corporation in order to provide library materials to the general public. Another unique attribute of the Court Square branch is that approximately 80% of its customers live in areas other than Queens.

Hours & Locations

Parking Info

There is limited metered street parking in front of the library (45th Avenue) and streets surrounding the Citibank building. Non metered street parking is available in the area but it is very difficult to find an open space. There is a pay parking garage in back of the Court House on Court Square and Thompson Streets.